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British Chicken-Warmed Nuke

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the chickens-is-there-anything-they're-not-good-for? dept.

darrellberry writes "During the Cold War, British researchers developed a nuclear landmine, kept operational during cold conditions by packing it full of live chickens. This story has appeared in a few UK media channels this morning. Probably an April Fools', but who knows? The bomb is supposedly on display at the National Archives in Kew, so if you live in London you can go and see for yourselves..." Also a BBC story and an older New Scientist blurb.

3 of 195 comments (clear)

  1. Why today? by peterprior · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The civil service has obviously had access to these documents for a while, so why do they have to "announce" these apparently real plans on April 1st and then get all irritable and have to deny repeatedly that its an april fools joke.
    Why didn't they release the story yesterday, or couldn't they have waited until tomorrow?

  2. Landmine? by Doesn't_Comment_Code · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Isn't the point of a landmine to explode right under a group of people? Why does it matter if the charge is a nuclear detonation. As long as the people you are trying to nuke are withing a mile of the explosion, you're probably going to get them. Why not just do a remote control or timed device and save yourself all the hassle?

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  3. Re:Not a prank by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But it makes no sense. The plutonium 239 alone should be enough to warm to device and keep it operational. If the PU-239 can't keep it warm, then the chickens are as good as refrigerator meat.

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